Lajos Hasko at a Seder

My father at a Seder.

We were raised in a Neolog, and not expressly religious family. We always had a Christmas tree with candles, it once took fire. There was a big scandal, my father threw a carpet, or something else on it I think. I don't remember whether we gave gifts to each other, perhaps we gave some, our maids were Christian girls.

On Friday evenings mom lit candles. We celebrated the Chanukkah, which is also a very nice holiday, and we sang the "Maoz tzur" and such songs. The Purim is also very nice. We also observed the Pesach, they observed it strictly, properly, as it is prescribed, my father made beautiful Seder nights! At those times we were together, the first night was at our place, the second night at my father's sister, the table was set beautifully, and there were matzah balls and the Seder plate. My brother read out the Hagadah, they lit candles, dad put on his hat, and the children also got a sip of wine.

Several Jewish families lived in the house, which were religious to a different extent. But everyone observed Yom Kippur. There wasn't anyone in the house, in my opinion, nobody could be without traditions, to not fast at Yom Kippur and not go to the synagogue. I remember that we were very proud when they allowed us to fast for half a day, because it wasn't obligatory for children. And when we were bigger and fasted a whole day, that was a big thing! There was a family in the house who erected a Sukkah at Succoth in the end of the outside corridor, they decorated it and we sang Hebrew songs. I remember that we played with the spinning top, too, I don't know on which holiday [Editor's note: at Chanukkah], but I remember that we played for peanuts.